Patient Stories
Cancer Was My Main Risk Factor for Blood Clots: Heidi’s Story
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in November 2017. I had a complete hysterectomy followed by the standard six rounds of chemotherapy, after which I had no evidence of disease until February 2021 when I had a recurrence. I had to undergo six more rounds of chemo, and I also participated in a trial, but…
It’s Common for Cancer Patients to Develop Blood Clots: Susan’s Story
I was receiving chemotherapy treatment for early-stage breast cancer in 2009 when I started having persistent chest pain. After several weeks of increasing pain, I called the oncology nurse practitioner, and she instructed me to get to the nearest emergency room. I underwent a chest CT scan, which identified multiple blood clots in one of…
Our Bodies are Meant to Move, Not to be Stationary: Karen’s Story
It all started when I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I had an adverse reaction to the chemotherapy treatment, which caused bleeding ulcers to develop from my throat down my esophagus to the site where the cancer had been removed. This landed me in the hospital for over five days. Because I had lost so…
My Leg Was Massively Swollen, Purple, and Hot: Shelby’s Story
I live a fairly active lifestyle as a preschool teacher, firefighter wife, and dog mom. I am always on the go! When I began experiencing what I thought were muscle cramps, I thought nothing of it. Little did I know, my body was experiencing a trauma that would halt me in my tracks. In November…
Not Only Have I Lost Central Vision In My Left Eye, I’ve Also Lost My Son: Debbie’s Story
My first blood clot happened in 2004. I was working as a phlebotomist in a blood bank when my calf felt tight and painful to walk on. I saw my doctor the same day and was sent for a Doppler of my lower left leg. It showed a blood clot, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT).…
I Now Have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Amy’s Story
Although I had experienced symptoms of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), which is a rapid heartbeat, for at least 18 years, I wasn’t officially diagnosed with SVT until August 2018. I was advised by my cardiologist to have an ablation – a procedure for restoring normal heart rhythm – to prevent episodes of SVT from reoccurring. Approximately…
My Hospital Stay Contributed to My Blood Clots: Krista’s Story
I started 2020 with a three-level spinal fusion surgery in my lower back. I recovered for about five days in the hospital. During that time, I was given conflicting information: The nurse told me to get up and walk, and the doctor told me to lay flat and move as little as possible. I remember…
I Was Told My Pain Was a Pulled Muscle: Giggie’s Story
I was 22 and two weeks postpartum after having a complicated delivery of my first and only baby. I began having intense back pain when breathing or moving, so I contacted my midwives, OB/GYN, and PCP. They all told me that it was a pulled muscle and prescribed muscle relaxers. I took one dose and…
Blood Clots are a Huge Problem in the Postpartum Community: Lindsay’s Story
A few days after delivering my second child in February 2021, I found myself back in the hospital with stomach pain and a fever. A CT scan revealed a massive blood clot in my inferior vena cava, the largest vein in the abdomen that collects unoxygenated blood from the lower body and brings it to…
I Thought I Was Having a Heart Attack While Holding My Newborn: Megan’s Story
When I was 37 weeks pregnant with my first child, I began experiencing a painful, pressurized cramping sensation in my upper thigh that was dismissed by three different OB/GYNs during my weekly appointments. They assured me it was just the baby putting pressure on nerves and ligaments in my pelvis. However, at 17 days post-delivery…
